50MW/100MWh Sodium-ion ESS goes online in China with string PCS MV stations

Sineng Electric has revealed it provided its string PCS MV stations for what it says is the world’s largest sodium-ion BESS, and China’s first 100-MWh-scale energy storage power station using sodium-ion batteries.

The Hubei power plant consists of 42 BESS containers with 185Ah sodium-ion batteries, 21 power conversion systems, and a 110kV booster station. The project is being developed and managed by Datang Hubei Energy and marks China’s efforts to diversify away from lithium to more abundant sources. Datang Hubei Energy announced the operation of the project on July 2, which they said had been connected to the grid on June 30.

As with such ESS systems, the batteries can bridge the highs and lows of renewable energy production to stabilize grids. Chinese media reported that the project in Qianjiang, Hubei Province shows that sodium-ion batteries have become a new possibility for future power grid development. Sineng Electric points out that sodium-ion batteries show superior performance at low temperatures, better round-trip efficiency, and better overall safety.

Sineng says its 2.5MW string PCS MV solution is designed to align with the sodium-ion battery storage system’s wide DC voltage range, supporting rated output power from 700V to 1500V. The solution features cluster-level energy management that the company says amplifies the cluster-level balancing capabilities of sodium-ion batteries. The company says its string PCS units can endure extreme temperatures and high humidity, engineered with an IP66 protection rating. Sineng is very active in the photovoltaic space as well as offering comprehensive utility-scale energy storage system solutions, including both string and central PCS.

Sineng Electric recently commissioned a 100MW/200MWh energy storage project in the coastal area of Shandong. The Chinese company recently signed a supply agreement with the German semiconductor chip manufacturer Infineon Technologies AG to use in Sineng’s PCS technology.